Nightmare
by emanne
Summary: A story with angst, comfort, and romance revolving around the lives of Skye and Ward. Constructive criticism is welcomed. Be nice it's my first story! I do not own Agents of SHIELD.
1. Nightmare

_Oh God this cannot be happening. We were just on a simple mission. Or so I thought. Ward and I were sent inside a lab that was creating a new product to make superpowers available to anyone who had a whole lot of money. We were caught and one of the guards shot him. _

_There is so much blood. "Oh God, Grant. Please wake up." I yell as I roughly shake his limp body. "Don't leave me. Please." I can't stop crying. I feel for his pulse and when I feel nothing, I let out a chilling scream. _

I am suddenly jolted awake by my own sobbing. I see Simmons looking over me with a worried look on her face.

"Skye, are you OK? You were screaming so loud!" she says, still looking me over to make sure I'm alright.

I wish I could answer her, but I can't control my sobbing. My whole body is shaking and I just want it all to stop. I don't care if Ward hates me now that he knows I have been lying. I just want _him_. The realization that I will never have him makes me sob harder.

The only word I can say is "Grant" and I repeat it over and over again, in between my sobs. Completely restless, I rock back and forth in my bed. Simmons runs out of the room, yelling something but I can't hear her. I continue to sob, even though I'm starting to feel light headed. Suddenly, I feel warm, strong arms wrap around me. I instantly feel a wave of calm wash over me. I still can't stop saying his name, though. I think I'm going insane.

"Shh, Skye. I'm right here. You're safe. I'm safe. Please, Skye. It's okay." He continues to whisper in my ear until, finally, I calm down enough to roll around and look him in the face. I look him in the eyes and admire his milky brown irises, etched with worry. I clutch the front of his shirt and move closer to him, burying my head into the crook of his neck.

"Skye…"

"Please, Grant. Just lay with me for a while. I need you." I say, even though it's hard for me to confess that I am hurting.

"Just sleep, Skye," he says, hesitantly putting his hand to my hair and stroking my long brown locks. I feel so sleepy and calm.

"Don't leave me," I dazedly say, my eyelids drooping.

The last thing I hear before sleep claims me is his soft whisper "Never."


	2. Robots Have Feelings?

The sun hits my face, signaling to me that it's time to get up. I don't move though, instead I decide to just lie there a little while longer. I snuggle in closer to…Oh. My. God. Grant. Grant is here. In my bed. With me. Because I was having a nightmare. About him. He came to comfort me. And now HE IS IN MY BED. Okay, Skye, don't freak out. Play it cool. Seriously though, this feels amazing. His arm is wrapped around my torso and oh geez we are spooning. Wait, is he shirtless? Am I in some cliché movie or what? If I knew how safe and warm it felt to be in his arms, well, I might not have slept with Miles. I push that thought out of my mind. I want to really enjoy this moment. He grips my waist tighter, which makes me smile. I could get used to this.

I must have fallen asleep again. I don't feel Grant's heavy arm around my waist anymore. I wonder why that makes me so upset. I roll around and am surprised to see he is still here. And damn, does he look fine. He has no shirt on (thank heavens), and is sitting up in my bed reading. He looks at me and his expression softens.

"Morning. How are you feeling?" he puts his book on the floor and lays down. Our faces are inches apart from each other, and I can feel his warm breath on my face. I just stare at his face, so mesmerized by his eyes. I don't even register that I haven't answered his question until he says my name.

"Oh…umm..well let's see. My face feels swollen, which I'm guessing is from the crying. Unless of course you're a rough sleeper and punched me in the face a few times. Oh and my throat hurts, like, really bad. And I have a headache. But nope, I'm good." I smirk. He always brings out the sarcasm in me.

"You're eyes look a little swollen but no, I am not a rough sleeper and I would never, ever intentionally hurt you. When we get breakfast you can take some medicine. But first, I want you to tell me what happened last night." Oh, how I really don't want to.

"Is that an order?" I say, smirking at him.

"If that's the only way you will tell me, then yes, it's an order."

I take a deep breath. "It's no big deal. I just had a bad dream, that's all."

"Was it about me?"

"Maybe…"

"Skye. Tell me."

"Alright, fine. We were on a mission and you died. See? Told you it was no big deal. I just overreacted, that's all." Okay, maybe "overreacted" is an understatement.

"So you were so upset because I died?"

I turn to lie on my back. "Yes, okay? Yes. I was that crazy because you died. In my dream. God I am so pathetic," I mumble, throwing a hand over my face.

He pulls my arm down and turns my body around so I was facing him. "Would it make you feel any less pathetic if I said that I would be the same way if _you_ died?"

Oh wow, I was not expecting that. But it felt good to hear. "Yes, actually, it does. But can you tell me, Agent Ward, with your James Bond knowledge, why we feel this way?"

He was silent for a moment. He was probably trying to figure out the quickest way to get out of this whole situation. "I'm not sure, Skye. For once, I can say that I don't know. All the training in the world couldn't prepare me for this."

"And what exactly is 'this'?"

He put his hand on my cheek, his thumb drawing circles. "All I know is that you are so different. When I first met you, I was completely and utterly stunned by your beauty. I have been to exotic places all around the world but none of its beauty compared to yours. I have been trained to not get attached, but one look at you and I was hooked. And when you thought the truth serum was in me, and you took off your vest, I couldn't think of anything else. What I said about you being a beautiful woman was true. You are gorgeous, ballsy, and have the most snarky sarcasm of anyone I have ever known. And when I heard what happened with Miles, I was so angry. Not because you betrayed us, but because you were with _him. _And I couldn't help but think of how much I wanted to be him in that moment. I wanted you. I don't deserve you. But, damn, I want you."

I stared into his eyes. I'm doing a lot of that lately. I can't believe he just said that. I never thought that Agent Ward, tough and grumpy, would ever confess something like that. I close my eyes, relishing in his words.

I open my eyes to see him staring at me, no doubt waiting for a response. "Sorry. I'm just a little overwhelmed. You have no idea how much I wanted to hear you say that. And with Miles…I think I was just caught up in the moment. But since we're being honest with each other, when I was with Miles, I…imagined…that he…was you." Oh that sounds so bad. I feel the blush heat my cheeks so I bury my head into my pillow.

"Skye, look at me." I reluctantly meet his eyes. "I'm not good with my feelings and I'm definitely not good at relationships. I have been trained to be alone, to cut out all other variables. Admitting all this to you goes against everything I have ever learned. You have to understand that this is tough for me, but I'm willing to work on that."

"Okay," I whisper. "I will be there to help you with that. But I want this, too. So we will deal with it. Together." I move closer to him and he does the same to me. He cradles my face and we intertwine our legs. He places his lips gently on mine and kisses me like I might break. I kiss back, just as tentative and slow. The kiss is short, but it holds so much emotion. It is absolutely perfect.

I lean in and whisper, "I guess you're not a robot after all."


	3. Eggs

I am sitting on the bar stool, watching Grant cook me eggs. Yes, you heard right. Grant is cooking me eggs. I can't contain my smile when I think of how incredibly happy I am. Coulson walks and looks at my smile. Then he looks at Grant, who has now started to hum. Coulson looks back at me and raises an eyebrow. I give him a wink.

"Well I was going to come get some coffee, but I think I will go see Agent May first." He slowly turns back around and leaves. Grant looks at me questioningly but I just laugh.

Grant plates the eggs and puts it in front of me. He sits next to me with his own plate. Our knees automatically touch, as if our bodies are magnets. He smiles at me and oh boy, there I go again, deeply staring into his eyes. I really want to kiss him again. When we kissed, it was the first time I ever felt cherished. I want to feel that again.

Just when I am about to lean in, FitzSimmons comes barging into the kitchen.

"Mornin'!" Fitz stops short. "Wait. Am I seeing this right? Are Grant Ward and Skye actually in the same room together, eating breakfast, and _not_ fighting? Simmons, is it Christmas?" I can't help but smile at Fitz's comment. He is right. Grant and I haven't been in a room together since the whole Miles debacle. Even I am still getting over the shock of it.

"Oh stop it, Fitz. They must have worked everything out." I get up, excusing myself for a minute so I could get my sweatshirt. Simmons must have followed me because she says, "Skye, how are you feeling after last night?"

I look at Simmons, confused. Oh right, she is talking about my total breakdown. I forgot she was even there. "I'm good, Simmons. And thank you for getting Grant. You did get Grant, didn't you?"

Simmons quickly responds, "No, actually. Grant wasn't even in his bunk. I looked for him but you really scared me so I started yelling for Coulson. I guess he didn't hear me and I was going to go to is room but then Grant was coming up from the training center. You were so loud and you sounded like you were hurt. He looked so scared, Skye. He didn't even ask what was wrong. He just ran into your bunk and that was the last I saw of him. You stopped your screaming so I figured he was what you needed and decided not to get Coulson after all. Are you mad at me?"

That was a lot to process. I just thought that since I was yelling Grant's name that Simmons went to get him for me. "No, Simmons, of course I'm not mad. I'm just surprised. I didn't realize that he came voluntarily." She smiles at me and I grab my sweatshirt and throw it over my head.

"I will be right back. I'm going to go grab my sweatshirt, too. It is quite chilly in here." She walks away towards her bunk.

I walk into the kitchen and see Grant sitting alone, Fitz nowhere to be found. I walk over to him and plant my lips on his, catching him by surprise. This time it's less gentle but still holds pure emotion. I grab the back of his neck and twist my fingers in his hair. His one hand cradles my face while the other finds its way around my waist. I pull away when I remember that Simmons could walk in at any moment. We are both breathing heavily.

"What was that for?" he whispers against my lips.

"Thank you. For coming to my rescue last night."

"I will always do what I can to protect you, Skye, no matter what."

"I know." I whisper. "Now let's hurry up with breakfast so we can go back to my bunk" He looks at me with heated eyes and I smirk at him as I take a big bite of my eggs.


	4. The Redacted File

**Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews once again! I appreciate it immensely. Again, this idea randomly came to mind and I am pretty excited about it so I wanted to put it out there. I know I have updated four times in the past two days, but that's only because I might not have time to update the next couple of days and I really wanted to establish a solid storyline before that. Keep the reviews coming and above all, enjoy reading! Tell me your thoughts! :)**

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One month has passed by seamlessly. Ward and I surprisingly have a great relationship. We talk a lot, which helps. I told him about my parents, their redacted file, and my real reason for infiltrating S.H.I.E.L.D. He completely understood, though he did get upset that I hadn't told him sooner.

Late at night, when we are both fighting sleep, he tells me about his family. It's hard for him to talk about his brothers, but he is opening up more and more each night. We also fight. A lot. With my sarcasm and his practically non-existent sense of humor, we butt heads often.

The other day, though, didn't involve my sarcasm or his lack of humor. I was mad at him because he volunteered to go on some dangerous, top secret mission with Coulson. He told AC he would only go if I was ordered to stay behind. I overheard them talking and confronted him that night. I started yelling at him; mostly because I was afraid he didn't want me to go with them because he wanted space. The past month we had barely come up for air. It was amazing how none of the other members of our team caught on. Not many people in my life had kept me around for long, though, so I immediately assumed he wanted to be away from me. It took a while for me to calm down enough to hear him out. He started yelling at me, telling me he just wanted to protect me. The point is we are both hot-headed so fights tend to happen often. But I like to think it makes our relationship better. Besides, the make-up sex is amazing.

Things were going well until right now, when Coulson calls me into his office. "What's up AC?" I say, flopping into one of his office chairs. I look nonchalant, but inside my stomach is in knots. Did he find out about me and Grant? Has he decided he actually doesn't want me on his team? The composed look on his face makes my heart race.

"I found the original file on your parents. I think you should take a look at it." His forehead creases worriedly. I suddenly become extremely panicked and I know I need Grant with me. He always calms me down.

I clear my throat, "Can…can I have Agent Ward come in here when I look at it? Since he is my S.O ., I think he might be interested to see if his trainee is really the spawn of two alien gods." I immediately feel bad for saying that. But when I'm nervous, I get sarcastic.

Coulson looks at me oddly for a second before he says, "Sure. Go get him. I will transfer the file onto the screen."

I jump up and run down the stairs. "Grant?" I yell. Nothing. I run to his bunk and peek in. Nope, not there. I start running down the steps to the training center. "Gra-" Umph. I smash into something hard. Oh, it's just the rock hard body of my boyfriend.

"Whoa, Skye. Calm down there," Grant says, holding on to my shoulders to stop me from falling.

"Grant. I need you right now, okay? Like right now. Coulson found the original copy of my parent's file and he seemed worried which isn't a good sign, right? Like what if my parents really were terrible people or what if they are dead or if they aren't dead I think that would be worse because what parent wouldn't go looking for their child, you know? What if they hated me so much they purposely forgot about me? Oh God, what if they really _were_ aliens? I mean I don't even know if I want to know anymore I don't think I'm ready and-" My rambling words are cut off by Grant's lips crushing mine.

He breaks away from me and says, "Sorry, Skye, but your rambling was bordering on insane. Just take a deep breath and let's go figure this out together, okay? No matter what I will protect you and just so you know, even if you are the offspring of aliens, I would still want to be your boyfriend." Oh, he knows just what to say when I'm worked up.

We walk upstairs to Coulson's office and I take a deep breath before I step into the room. I feel Grant behind me, close enough so I feel his warmth but not close enough to be touching me. We still haven't told anyone about our relationship. We didn't want to jinx it.

Coulson looks up and gives us a weak smile. "Ready, Skye?" I look between him and Grant.

"Yes," I squeak. Coulson turns on the big screen on his wall and right in front of my eyes is the file. I read the names first: Marie and Joseph Kane. I continue reading. They were both born in 1965. Okay, at least I wasn't the result of a teen pregnancy. Oh wow. "They were S.H.I.E.L.D agents?" I look at Coulson.

"Apparently so. Keep reading."

I comply. I read through information on their achievements and missions until I get to the part that I need. Under big red letters that say "CLASSIFIED" is a long paragraph: _Marie and Joseph Kane were both deemed unstable and unfit to continue being field agents after the sudden death of their only daughter, Daniela, when she was three. They both tried to continue working while seeing the S.H.I.E.L.D. psychiatrist, Dr. Newman, who eventually found them unfit to work. They both caused many mission failures and ultimately were detrimental to their team. Their badges were taken away in 1995. Current whereabouts are unknown. _

My vision goes blurry and I feel warm hands on my shoulders.

Grant looks me in the eyes. "Skye? Breathe." I try to do what he says, but it doesn't help. My knees feel weak and I feel like someone is spinning me around in dizzying circles.

"Hey, Grant?" I croak.

"What is it Skye? What do you need?" he says worriedly, searching my face.

"Catch…me." My eyes close and I feel myself fall.


	5. Nurse Ward

**Author's Note: Hey guys! Sorry I haven't updated in a few days. I have everything mapped out for where I want this story to go, but I don't have the time right now to do it with school and work. But I did this small chapter just to keep you guys satisfied. Over the next week I will be able to update more. Thanks guys! :)**

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Black. That's all I see. I can't move or speak. But wait, I hear something. I think it's two voices.

_"How long has she been out?" _I'm pretty sure they are talking about me.

_"About an hour…. She hit her head pretty bad on the table when she fell." _Oh, well at least that explains why I am staring into an infinite black hole.

_"Alright, well keep an eye on her, Agent Ward." _Grant? Is he still here? Why wouldn't he want to run in the opposite direction after seeing what was on that file?

_"Of course. Do you really think it's true? That Skye is the 'Daniela' they mentioned in the file?"_ I have to be Daniela. There is no way I'm not.

_It appears to be so. We will still need to get more information. I'm going to call and set up a meeting with Dr. Newman. Get me when she wakes up. _

The conversation stops. I feel a warm hand grasp mine. The jolt that shoots through my arm tells me that the hand belongs to Grant. The feeling of his hand wakes me up a little more. And now I can move my fingers. I start to pry my eyes open to see Grant's face hovering over mine. His hands go to my face immediately.

"Come on, Skye. That's it. Wake up for me."

My eyes open and I stare at him. I put my hands on either side of his face and whisper, "Hi."

Grant smiles and returns the greeting. He helps me sit up. I look around and see that I am in my bunk. I give Grant an accusing look, "Did you carry me in here and take care of me?"

He gives me a serious look, "I did what was necessary."

I throw my arms over his shoulders and give him a pouty smile, "Aww, you're my knight in shining armor _and_ my nurse." He laughs and I give him a small kiss on the lips.

"Listen…Skye, about the file, I don't know if you remember, but you should know that you're-" I cut his words off with a hard kiss.

"I remember what the file said. I know I am Daniela. It's shocking and upsetting and I am so scared, but you're still here so everything is okay for now. Trust me on this one, okay?" I let my arms fall from his shoulders.

He grasps my hands in his, "Okay, Skye. We will deal with everything in your own time. Well, now that you've woken up, I have to go get Coulson."

I smile wickedly, unbuttoning my shirt, "Well, before that…why don't you be a good nurse and give me a full examination?"

His eyes darken and he swallows loudly. "Right. Coulson can wait."

He practically lunges at me and I let out a squeal.


	6. Dr Newman

A petite woman opens the door and calls out, "Skye, Dr. Newman is ready to see you." I look at Grant, my eyes going wide. He grabs my hand and pulls me up, giving me a small, encouraging smile. Thank God that Coulson decided not to tag along. I love AC, don't get me wrong, but at least now I can openly touch Grant. And that's exactly what I'm doing. I am clutching onto his arm so tight my hands are white. I doubt he feels it though; my man is pure muscle.

He leans down and whispers, "You can do this. Let's go find out about your parents." He gives me a gentle kiss on the forehead and we walk over to the door.

The woman smiles at us and motions for us to take a seat. Luckily, it's a loveseat so I sit as close to Grant as possible. He chuckles and looks down at me with amusement. Okay, I know I'm acting like a child who is afraid of the doctor, but everything that is happening right now is so surreal and just downright scary. What if my parents' psychiatrist tells me horrible things about them? What if he knows where they are?

My thoughts are interrupted by a door opening and closing. I look up to see an older man, maybe mid 60's, with stark white hair, taking a seat at the desk in front of us.

He smiles warmly at me, "You must be Skye. My name is Dr. Newman. I am the head psychiatrist here at S.H.I.E.L.D. What can I do for you both today?"

I clear my throat, "Well, I was wondering if you could give me any information on Marie and Joseph Kane? Anything would be helpful."

His smile falters for a second, "I remember them both very well. It was a sad situation for all of us. Unfortunately, unless you are family, I can't release any personal information on them."

I grab even tighter onto Grant's arm, "I'm their daughter."

Dr. Newman's face is one of complete shock. He stares at me and responds, "Daniela?"

A single tear falls down my cheek and I close my eyes, "Yes."

He questions, "That can't be possible. You are supposed to be dead. But, wait, how did you know to come to me?"

"Your name was on their file, so we figured we would start with you. Can you tell us anything about them? Please? "

"Of course, though I don't know where I should start. Let's see, your parents were a part of an elite group within S.H.I.E.L.D. called X FORCE. The group was only made up of a select few agents. Your parents were two of the best agents S.H.I.E.L.D. has seen, even to this day." Awesome, my parents were badasses.

Grant speaks up for the first time since we entered the room, "Wait, X FORCE is real?"

Dr. Newman looks at Grant, "Indeed, although many people believe that it's just a rumor." He looks back at me. "Your mother was a real sarcastic one. She was always making jokes. Your father was much more serious, but they balanced each other out nicely." I sneak a peek at Grant and see that he is smiling. "Your parents were so excited when they found out they were going to have you. And when you came into the world, they were loving parents. In fact, you used to come into my office to play when your parents were working. But then the tragic news came that you died. They were heartbroken and even though I tried to help them, I had to release them from their duties here at S.H.I.E.L.D. It was for the best. They were ruining missions and simply lost their desire to be agents."

I say the question that I have been dreading to ask, "How did I die?"

"There was a fire in your preschool. You were in the bathroom while the others left the building. Supposedly, you were trapped by the flames and died of smoke inhalation. It was very tragic."

My eyes glaze over, but I still manage to stand and say, "Thank you for your time, Dr. Newman." I grab onto Grant's hand and practically pull him out the door.

Dr. Newman calls out, "It was certainly nice to see you again, Daniela."

I keep fast walking out the building until I reach the car.

"Skye! Slow down. You're going to dislocate my arm." Grant says. I turn around to see my hand still tight around Grant's. I guess I dragged him all the way out of the building. Oops.

"Sorry. I just wanted to get out of there." I sit down on the bumper of the car. Grant sits next to me.

"What's wrong? We got a lot of information back in there."

"Yeah, but now I have to figure out what really happened to me and how I got to St. Agnes."

"We'll figure it out. We are stationed here for at least a few more days. We have time to put an end to all of this. Let's just get back to the bus."

I am lying in my bunk, trying to fight sleep while I wait for Grant to finish taking a shower. When we got back to the bus, we told Coulson everything that happened at Dr. Newman's office. Even he didn't know that X FORCE actually existed.

I need to find my parents. I need to find out what happened to me. Clearly, I wasn't in a fire. So then what happened? My phone buzzes and l read the new text message from an unknown number. I quickly throw it back down and take deep breaths.

The message says: _I know you are looking for your parents. I know where they are and I know what happened to you. I can help you. Meet me at the café on 2__nd__ Street tomorrow at 8. Come alone and don't be late. _

I guess I won't be sleeping in tomorrow.


	7. Worry

I give Grant a quick kiss on the cheek before I walk out of the bunk. I walk past the kitchen and decide I should write a quick note. I quickly jot down a few words and then I leave the bus.

I walk up to the small café. It is quaint looking place, and definitely gourmet. I walk inside and look around. No one is there except for a girl at the counter. I walk over and order a coffee.

Before I can grab it out of her hands, she asks, "Are you Skye?"

Okay, that's weird. "Umm…yeah I am."

"A man called and wanted me to tell you he will be here in a few minutes and to wait outside for him."

"Uh…okay thanks," I say, taking the coffee and turning towards the door. Of course I think it's weird that this mystery person wants to meet me outside, but I figure he just wants to make sure I'm alone.

I walk outside and see a few people walking around, going about their morning routines. I turn to walk around the corner to sit on one of the benches.

"Skye?" says a deep male voice.

I start to whirl around. But before I can fully turn and see who called my name, I feel something hard hit my head and then everything is black.

**Grant's POV**

I begin to wake up and immediately start to throw my arm over Skye's waist. My eyes fly open when my hand thuds down on empty sheets. That's weird. Skye is never up this early. I pull on a plain tee-shirt and stomp into the kitchen. I grab a cup of coffee and notice a note on the counter. I pick it up and read. It says: _I am going to the café on 2__nd__ street for a cup of coffee. If I am not back by 9, worry. -Skye. _

I feel a jolt of nerves shoot up my stomach. I whip my head down to check my watch. It's 10:15. Oh God, Skye, what trouble did you get into now?

I start yelling loudly for everyone to get up. Two minutes later and everyone is surrounding me in the kitchen. I look at my team and see a bunch of colorful pajamas and bed heads. These people don't look professional, and I never thought they would have it in them, but we make a great team.

I sigh, and then say, "Something bad happened to Skye."

Simmons speaks first, worriedly, "What do mean? What happened?"

I take a deep breath and say, "We found the redacted file on her parents. It said that Skye, or really Daniela, their daughter, died. We went to speak to Dr. Newman, the psychiatrist who signed off on the file. He gave some information on her parents, like how they were a part of X FORCE within shield. Skye and I agreed we would figure out the rest of the details later, but then Skye wasn't here this morning and she left this note." I show them the note Skye left.

Coulson asks, "May I ask why she trusted you with being her rock through all of this?"

Crap. I never thought he would ask that. "Umm…well, sir…Skye and I are together."

Coulson smiles widely and says, "It's about time you manned up and said something to me. You have no idea how long I have waited for you to admit it."

I must look surprised, because Fitz says, "Well it's not like we haven't notice how nice you guys are to each other and how touchy feely you guys are."

Simmons says, "Oh and that you guys sleep in the same bunk. I mean, duh. How could you think we wouldn't know?"

"Umm...I don't know…" I say, slightly astounded by my team.

Coulson walks away and mumbles "I'll be right back. I think someone's outside the bus."

We all just ignore him and I continue to wonder how Skye and I hadn't realized we were being so obvious.

"By the way, when are you guys going to get over the honeymoon stage? I have to sleep with my iPod on the highest volume to drown you guys out," says May in her monotone voice.

My cheeks blush and I begin to argue until I remember the real reason we are all standing in the kitchen with our pajamas on. "Can we focus on Skye, please? We need to find her."

Just then, Coulson walks back into the kitchen with a man behind him. "I think we have some more help."

I look at the man. It's Dr. Newman.


	8. Truth

**Hey guys! Thanks so so much for all the positive feedback! It really motivates me to continue. Keep it coming! :) **

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Ouch. My vision is slightly blurry and I have a massive headache, most likely indicating a concussion. Not to mention that I feel blood dripping down my head. I am sitting in a chair in a weird-looking room. It looks like the walls and floor are made of metal. I try to move my arms, but of course they are tied tightly by rope. The same goes for my feet. Great. It has to be past 9, so Grant should be worried. Hopefully the team gets here soon.

Just as those thoughts pass through my mind, the large metal door opens and a man walks in with two buff looking men. The man is probably in his late 50's, sporting a large scar on his right cheek and dark eyes.

He walks over to me and lifts my chin up. Smiling wildly, he says, "Sweet Daniela. I knew I would see you again. I knew you would come looking for your parents and make it so easy to finish what I started years ago."

A wave of chills runs up my spine. "My name is not Daniela! Who are you?" I spit out.

"I'm surprised you don't remember me. My name is Zachary Dean. I took you from your parents when you were just a little girl." He continues to hold my chin up so I am forced to look at him.

Suddenly, I get very angry. How dare he take me away from my parents? Knowing the man right in front of my face is responsible for all my misery and trust issues makes me see red.

"Why would you do that? How dare you take me away from parents? You are scum!" I yell.

Zachary's smile grows even wider; as if that was the response he was looking for.

"Let's not get feisty now. Let me tell you a story. I was the leader of X FORCE. I hand-picked your parents for my organization because they were two of the best agents in SHIELD. We worked well together, that is until your parents found out the real purpose behind X FORCE."

Curious, I ask, "And what purpose was that?"

"X FORCE was the highest level there was in SHIELD and we knew about things nobody else in the world knew about. We were the first to know everything. I used the information that was given to us and sold it to other countries. That was my main purpose. The business was profitable, until your parents found out. They walked in on a business deal and they threatened to expose me. So I took you."

I ask, "But how did taking me help?"

"I used you as a blackmail of sorts. Once your parents knew I had you, they backed down immediately. They wanted you back right away, though. I had a big sale coming up with a country you aren't allowed to know of, and so I was planning on keeping you until that deal was over. But your parents decided to try to undermine me. That didn't work. I knocked your parents unconscious when they barged into my deal. When I got back to my apartment, I was planning to kill you. I had had enough with you, anyway. You were constantly crying about your parents. It got annoying fast. Anyway, as I entered my apartment, you attacked me with a knife."

My eyes widen, "I was the one who gave you that scar, wasn't I?"

His eyes darken, "Yes, and then you got away. I never knew where you went. I staged a fire at your preschool and paid the medical examiner to sign off on the reports of your death. Your parents actually thought you were dead." He laughs. "And of course I simply had to threaten Dr. Newman's family to have him do whatever I wanted. It was too easy. But then X FORCE was shut down. Apparently the members weren't working as hard due to the grief of losing you. You were a loved child in SHIELD."

So many thoughts are running through my head right now. I don't know what to think, and the concussion is making my head spin.

"So what do you want from me?"

"Like I said, I want to finish what I started. I want to make you suffer, and then I want to kill you." He motions for the two buff men.

As they approach me, I close my eyes and think of Grant. Then everything is black.

**Grant's POV**

Dr. Newman just finished telling us about Zachary Dean and how he had threatened to kill his family unless he did what he asked. He was told to tell him immediately if anyone came looking for the Kane's. And he did. But then he came to us because he was tired of being pushed around.

Dr. Newman says, "They are probably keeping here in a storage container just a few miles from here."

I perk up and say, "Great, let's go."

He says, "Wait, there is one problem."

Coulson asks, "And what's that?"

"There are over one hundred storage containers in his name."

I sigh angrily and say, "Well then, let's start looking."


	9. Fading

**Hey! Thank you so so so so so much for reviewing and liking my story! Please keep reviewing! I am thinking about wrapping this up in a few more chapters, but I was thinking about making a sequel of sorts and write more on Skyeward with more fluffy cuteness but it would be a continuation of this story. Do you guys think I should do that? Would anyone read it? :) **

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If I didn't have a concussion before, I definitely do now. Not to mention my whole body feels like one giant bruise. I feel blood dripping down my head yet again. Zachary decided that having his men beat me to a pulp wasn't enough, so he took a knife and started slicing my skin in various places. I now have cuts on my neck, arms, hands, legs, and I'm pretty sure he cut me by my eyebrow.

I would say that I am in pain, but I'm not. I can feel my body start to shut down and give up. I don't really blame it though. I have tried so hard up until this point to fight. Not only for myself, but for Grant, the team, and even my parents. I really hope FitzSimmons realize how perfect they are for each other. And I hope my parents find out about me and are proud.

I have come to terms with my death. I know at this point it's inevitable. I can feel myself fading.

With the little consciousness I have, I think about Grant. He is going to be devastated. God, we haven't even said we loved each other yet. I don't know why we have waited so long to say it when we are both so clearly in love with each other. Maybe he was waiting for the perfect moment.

I begin to daydream of Grant and I. What our future would have been like if I lived. We would get married, have little secret agent babies, and grow old together. I am never this sappy, just so you know, but I think dying warrants this kind of thinking.

I am in my little fantasy world when I am interrupted by Zachary. He walks into the room and looks me over.

"You look like hell. Good." He laughs at himself like he is the funniest person in the world.

I don't have the strength to respond.

"Well, looks like we are almost finished here. Now I just have to kill you." He motions for his men. They start to pour clear liquid around the room, all over the floor and walls, and then they leave.

Zachary looks me in the eyes and says, "It's been a pleasure, Daniela."

He takes a lighter out of his pocket and walks towards the door. Just before he leaves, he flicks the lighter open and throws it on the floor.

* * *

**Grant's POV**

I hand out various tools and weapons to the team.

"Alright guys, start breaking the padlocks on the storage containers and if you find anything at all, call me immediately." I say.

I look around at all the storage containers we have to go through. Knowing one of them contains Skye is maddening. I need to find her. I haven't even told her I loved her yet. I was waiting for the perfect moment; it's what she deserves.

Fitz, working on a padlock, turns around and says, "Do you smell that?"

I take a deep breath and instantly tense. I smell smoke.

"Over there!" yells May.

I turn my head and start running.

About twenty units down is a large, red container. And it's on fire.


	10. Fire

**Thank you all for the lovely reviews! It makes me super happy! :) Enjoy!**

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I weakly lift my head to see the flames all around me. I can feel the heat on my skin. The flames outline the room and run up the walls.

I suddenly remember I am wearing the necklace Grant gave me when we managed to go one full week without fighting. I smile lightly, remembering the moment he gave it to me. I woke up to light kisses on my bare back, and when I turned around he was there, like every morning. He told me to close my eyes and then he placed the delicate necklace around my neck. If only I could feel his touch again.

I know that soon the fire will reach me. I don't want to be awake when that happens. I close my eyes and finally allow myself to succumb to the darkness.

* * *

**Grant's POV**

I break the padlock off the storage container and open the door. Smoke and flames shoot out and I take a few steps back. Luckily, my gear is inflammable. I run through the door, covering my face with my arm. I manage to get through the flames and survey the room. I notice a slumped figure in a chair. My heart drops. That's not Skye.

I don't have time to stand around, so I run over to the figure and start untying their wrists and legs from the chair. I lift their head up to get a good look at them, and I see it's a girl, but her face is too swollen and covered in blood to detect any features. I go to pick up the girl when I notice the necklace I gave Skye hanging around her neck.

"Oh my God," I croak.

This beaten and battered girl is Skye? I feel anger flash through me, but it quickly turns into nausea. I shake it off and lift Skye into my arms, her head against my chest. I turn around towards the door and see that FitzSimmons has managed to tame the flames enough for me to safely run through with Skye. I do just that and breathe in the fresh air, coughing from the smoke I inhaled.

I gently place Skye down on the ground.

Simmons looks down at the unrecognizable figure and says, "Is that…?"

I cut her off with a hard "Yes" and feel for Skye's pulse. It's very weak, but it's there.

"May went after Zachary. Don't worry, she will get the people who did this. But for now, let's focus on getting Skye help. Now!" Coulson

orders. I nod and lift Skye into my arms.

* * *

**Skye's POV**

I hear steady beeping. I pry my eyes open and see I am in what looks to be a hospital room. Relief floods through me. I made it. Somehow, I survived.

I feel pressure in my hand and realize someone's hand is holding mine, our fingers entwined. I look down to see Grant's head on the bed by my hand. His lips graze my hand and I feel him give me small kisses.

I hear him whispering, "I love you, Skye. I love you. I love you." He continues to chant this and I smile, my heart warming.

"I love you, too, Robot."

His head jerks up and my smile falters. He has bags under his eyes and he looks like he hasn't slept in ages. I have never seen him look so unhealthy.

"Skye? Oh thank God." He looks like he wants to hug and kiss me but refrains.

"Why won't you touch me?" I ask.

He looks at me sadly and says, "I don't want to hurt you. You are still pretty banged up."

"I think I can handle a kiss." I joke.

He smiles softly and says, "I'm afraid that once I start, I won't stop."

I chuckle and say, "It hasn't been that long since I last saw you. I kissed you goodbye when I left this morning for the café, remember?"

His face turns serious and he says, "Skye, you've been in a coma for a month."

"What?! A month?!" I screech. How could I be asleep for a whole month? How much did I miss?

I must look panicked because Grant says, "I know it's hard to process. But I have been with you every single day and we will deal with everything together, okay?"

I smile and relax. Grant is here and I am alive. The rest I can deal with later.


	11. Home

**Hey guys! I am so incredibly sorry that it took me a week to get this up. Things have been crazy lately but I promise I didn't forget about you! Please forgive me for waiting so long! Anyway, here it is. I am going to do one more chapter as an epilogue of sorts and then this story will be done! :) Enjoy!**

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I squeeze Grant's hand tightly as we approach the large brown door. I reach my hand out to ring the bell but quickly pull it back before I can.

Grant turns to me and says, "I love you and I know you can do this."

I melt at his words and whisper, "I love you" back.

Ever since I was kidnapped and tortured a few months ago, Grant and I have said "I love you" every chance we get. I think we both realized how easy it could be to lose the one another. He is the first person I ever said I loved but I wouldn't have it any other way. Sappy or not, this man is my soul mate.

After a few months of recovery, I am finally allowed to leave the bus. Coulson was able to find where my parents live and that's where Grant and I are now.

I ring the doorbell and wait. The door opens and reveals a man with pepper hair, wearing reading glasses and holding a newspaper.

"Hi, umm... Are you Joseph Kane?"

He looks at me wearily and sighs before saying, "Yes, that's me. And who are you?"

Wow. So this is my dad. I look at his face to try to find any trace of me in him. I have brown eyes like him and we share the same nose. I am suddenly overwhelmed with the fact that my father is standing right in front of me. After all these years of searching, here he is.

I probably look flustered because Grant takes over and says, "We're from SHIELD."

The man looks surprised, but before he can respond, a beautiful woman his age walks to the door and I am pretty sure I have stopped breathing.

Without a doubt this woman is my mom. My hair is the same as hers, long and wavy, and I have her full lips.

"Joseph? What's going on?" she says.

She looks at me and gasps.

"Marie…" Joseph says, sighing.

"What is it?" Grant asks.

She looks at me and says, "I'm sorry. It's just that your eyes remind me of my daughter's. They were so big and brown."

I start to cry. No actually, I'm sobbing. This is my mom and she is clearly still in pain. It's so overwhelming but the feeling of having them both in front of me is so incredible.

"Oh, sweetheart, I didn't mean to get you upset. Why don't you come in and I will make you a cup of tea?"

I cry harder and nod my head.

We walk in and I admire the large staircase and huge foyer.

She makes Grant and I sit down on a large, expensive couch. She brings me a cup of tea and a box of tissues. God, she is so sweet. She is exactly what I had hoped my mom would be like.

"So Joseph tells me you're from SHIELD?" she asks, sitting down across from me. My dad sits next to her in another chair.

"Yes, but we are here to speak to you both about a different matter." Grant responds.

I look at both my parents. They are waiting for me to elaborate on why we are really here.

I clear my throat and say, "My name is Skye… and I'm your daughter. I'm Daniela."

My mother gasps loudly and starts to cry almost immediately. She stands up and runs over to me, pulling me into a warm embrace.

"I knew it. I knew you were still alive. My sweet, sweet Daniela. I always had a feeling you weren't dead. I knew it. I knew it," she says, grasping me tighter. We stay like that for long time, crying with each other, as Grant explains everything that happened.

My mom cries harder when he gets to the part about my being tortured. I just hug her tighter, relishing in the comfort of having my mother's arms around me.

Someone's throat clears and I look up to see my father smiling widely at me, tears falling silently down his cheeks.

"I would like to reunite with my daughter, too, Marie."

She wipes her eyes and smiles up at him. She moves over to allow him to sit next to me but latches her hand onto mine.

My father looks at me and brushes away my tears. He hugs me tightly and gives me a kiss on the forehead.

"We are so glad you found your way home."

Home. That word is like music to my ears.


	12. Epilogue: Four Years Later

**Okay guys, here it is! The last chapter to Nightmare! I seriously want to thank you all for reading and reviewing and taking this journey with me. I don't know you guys, but I love you! Anyway, enjoy reading and don't forget to review! :)**

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Epilogue: Four years later

Shortly after I reunited with my parents, I found out I was pregnant. It was terrifying but amazing. I remember when I found out…

_"Ugh, I have to have the flu or something. I feel awful," I tell the SHIELD doctor._

_"Let's send a quick blood sample to the lab and we will have the results back in a few minutes," she replies. _

_Just like she said, the results come back within five minutes. I guess it pays to be a part of a major organization like SHIELD. She looks over the paperwork and smiles. _

_"Well, Skye, it seems that you are pregnant. Let's see…you are about 2 ½ months along. You should start taking prenatal vitamins immediately and I want to see you in three weeks for your first ultrasound. Oh, and congratulations," she says warmly. _

_I just sit there, stunned. Pregnant? I 'm pregnant? I'm not mother material, am I? What if Grant doesn't want it? Aren't I too young? Raising a baby while being agents at SHIELD is incredibly risky. I can't bring a baby into that, can I? Now that I'm thinking about it, I could handle being a mother. I can do this. And who am I kidding, Grant is going to so excited. Right? Ok, Skye. Stop thinking. Just go home and tell Grant._

_I quickly reply a thank you to the doctor and run out. I race to my car and practically speed back to the bus. Everyone is out on for their day off except Grant, who refuses to rest for even a minute, so I know he is alone when I enter the bus. I run to his bunk but he isn't there. I run down to the training center I find him punching the crap out of a bag. _

_"Grant?" I say, my voice trembling lightly. _

_He turns to look at me and smiles. The smile fades quickly when he sees my expression. _

_"What's wrong? What happened? Are you hurt?" He questions, taking long strides over to me. He grips my face and starts looking around my body for scratches or missing limbs._

_"Hey, Grant, I'm fine. Nothing happened to me." I say softly, comforting him. _

_"Then why do you look so scared?" Grant asks._

_"Umm…well…okay fine something did happen, or is happening, technically. But it's not a bad thing…or maybe it is. I'm not sure yet how you are going to react. So yeah. And I hate to admit it but I'm kind of terrified right now because I don't know if I have what it takes to do this and you don't really need to deal with this now I don't want to burden you and- "_

_"Skye!" Grant yells, stopping my ramble, "What are talking about? You could never be a burden. Ever. Got that?"_

_"Yes." I whisper. _

_"Now please tell me what's going on so I can help you be less terrified? You know that if anyone ever gives you a reason to be afraid, I will personally pay them a visit. So tell me who I need to see." He says. _

_"Well then you better start punching yourself," I say, smirking. _

_ Exasperated, Grant, lowers his hands from my face and says, "Skye, what the hell are you talking about?" _

_"Well you said if anyone gives me a reason to be afraid, then you would hurt them. And my comment was meant to imply that you gave me a reason to be afraid," I reply, challenging him._

_"God Skye, what did I do? Let me fix it. You shouldn't be afraid of me. Ever," he says, his eyes showing hurt and confusion. Whoops. Now I feel bad. _

_"Grant, even when you are at your worst, you could never frighten me. I'm sorry. I'm just teasing you…sort of." I take in a deep breath. "I'm pregnant. And I'm afraid because of that, Grant, not you."_

_"You're what?" Grant asks, and he genuinely looks like he didn't hear what I said. _

_"I'm pregnant, Grant. There is a little Agent Ward growing in my stomach," I say, louder this time. _

_"You're pregnant? With my child? My child is growing in your stomach right now?" he asks, his eyes glistening. _

_"Yes, Grant. Your child is inside me because you were inside me and didn't wear a condom," I say, smiling._

_Grant drops down to his knees and places his hands on either side of my still very flat stomach. I lift up my shirt and he kisses below my belly button. He rests his forehead on my tummy and grabs both of my hands in his. He gets up and kisses me passionately._

_ "Skye, you have made me the happiest I have ever been. This is going to be amazing and I have no doubt we will be great parents," he says, smiling when he says 'parents'. _

_I kiss him again and grab his hand. _

_"This may sound like a stupid question, but can you still have sex when you're pregnant?" Grant asks. _

_I smirk at him before saying in a low voice, "Actually, pregnancy increases sex drive. So I'm going to be worked up all the time now. You better be ready to take me whenever I need it. Any time. Any place." _

_Smoldering lust flashes in his eyes. _

_He picks me up and I wrap my legs around his. He whispers in my ear, "How about we start right here?"_

I smile fondly at the memory. Grant looks over at me questioningly.

"Why are you smiling all of a sudden?" he asks.

"I was just thinking about when I told you I was pregnant with Jackson," I say.

He smiles and places his hand on my large stomach.

He responds, "Now we have to focus on baby number two."

I smile up at him when the baby reacts to Grant's touch, effectively kicking his hands.

We walk into our master bedroom after tucking Jackson in. We moved into a small house a few months after we found out we were pregnant for the first time. Grant didn't think raising a child on the bus would be a good idea. Neither did anyone else. So we found this cute little home near The Hub and we just enjoy life with our son. When they need us, we drop Jackson off at my parent's house and we head out. It was so hard the first time we left him for a mission. He was only a few months old. Grant and I were both upset. My parents have been great with Jackson, though. And our relationship has improved, too. It feels like I have been with them forever.

Luckily, I don't have to go on missions that often. I have a SHIELD computer and networking system set-up in the basement where I can talk to my team and get them the info they need while being in the comfort of my home. Grant goes on more missions than me, but both our priorities have changed. We both used to think that being an agent was it for us. But now that Jackson is here and our daughter is coming in a month, we see being parents to them is more important. We are never away from Jackson for long. SHIELD has advanced a lot with their technology, thanks to FitzSimmons, so Grant and I can be anywhere around the world within a matter of minutes. This way, we can skip right to the mission and be home in time to pick Jackson up from my parent's.

"How did we get so lucky, Grant? Sometimes I think it's all a dream and one day I'm going to wake up and _poof!_ It'll all be gone," I say, climbing into bed.

"I know. But you can't think like that. We are together and Jackson is our son and soon we will have a daughter. Now let's just get some rest before Jackson comes in to wake us up," Grant says, smiling.

I smile back and kiss him lightly on the lips before resting my head on his chest and curling into him. Who needs a body pillow when you have Grant Ward? He chuckles when I curl into him and he rests his large hand on my belly. My eyes droop and I fall into a peaceful sleep.

I am suddenly woken up by shaking. Who is shaking me?

"Mommy? Mommy, wake up!" a little voice says. Jackson.

My eyes shoot open and I scan the room.

"What's wrong? Are you hurt?" I ask, pulling him into me while protectively placing a hand over my stomach.

The light turns on and Grant is up within a matter of seconds. He grabs his gun and does a quick check of the house.

Jackson crawls up the bed and buries his head into my chest, crying. This happens every night. Jackson wakes us up for one reason or another and of course Grant and I are on high alert. We never want our children in danger so we take necessary precautions.

Grant walks back in and sees me lying with Jackson. I am rubbing his back and saying, "Mommy and Daddy are here, baby. You're safe."

"Everything in the house is clear. Like it is every night," Grant says, slipping back into the covers.

Jackson, hearing his father's voice, scurries over me and squeezes himself in between Grant and me.

We both turn so that we are facing each other and we each have one hand over Jackson.

"Hey little man, want to tell us what happened?" he asks, using Jackson's nickname.

"I…I had a bad dream," Jackson answers, his little lip trembling, effectively breaking my heart.

"Oh, those are the worst. But you know who can chase away bad dreams?" I ask.

"Who?" asks Jackson, excited.

"Your father," I respond.

"Really?" questions Jackson, looking at Grant.

"Absolutely. When it comes to nightmares, your father is the best," I say, looking at Grant.

He gives me a knowing smile and I smile back.

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**(I really wanted to connect the first chapter to the epilogue so that's why I included the nightmare scene at the end). I have decided I will probably stick with one shots for now and they may or may not be related to this story. I will indicate in the fic if it is or isn't, I might do a little of both. Also, I am big into Olicity now from Arrow so I will probably do some one shots of them. So if you like them as well, stick around! Thanks again and send me your thoughts or prompts! :D**


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